The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-24

Ar Tn CTiSe " so.Sul q.
The action of the House on the sly
bin was a general 81: Prise 1t was not
thought possible 70: It could BE- h.du ,esi to
pass measure ;,hch has 50 little reason il
it, and which is 50 inim:cal TO the interests
of fertil.zr dealers ard farmers, Tho
Senate shoold kill it, and, that. 700,
without wasting any time over It, Surely
3ho farmers don't want a law that VIII IN
crease the cost OF fertilizers, and which Gan
be of no benefit 70 them.
What does the bill propo>a' Why, that
farmer who has purchased fertilizer on
credit may refuse to pay for il il ne thinks
that it is not what it was represented to be.
To any suit brought against him for the
purchase price OF fertilizer he has only to
plead a want OF consideration, and the
dealer must show that his goods were what
he represented thcm TO be. How is the
dealer 10 do thatl There is only one way,
and that is to furnish the certificate OF the
inspector who inspected the goods. That,
however. is furnished now. The inspectors
certificate is on all fertilizers, and the
farmer knows just what he is buying
1t may be said that the in
spector's certificate is not always cor
rect. If that is true, the
State ought to see to it that competent men
are employed as inspectors. The farmers
certainly pay enough in the shape of inspec-
tors fees to secure lr'st-class men. If m it,
spector's certificate, therefore, is evidence Of
the quality of the goods, and as Ill fertil-
GERS are inspected, the farmer will gain moth
ing by the Brady bill, and may he put to n
very considerable expense for lawyers fees
and costs Of court.
Another feature of the bill is that all
notes giver for fertilizers must have that
fact stated on their face. That. together
with the right which Tie makers of the
notes have 20 plead want of consideration,
even where tho notes have passed into the
hands OF third parties, destroys their ucgo
liability. How is the fertilizer dealer to
got money to carry on his busiucSs' lie
could not have tine notes discounted, nor
could he pledge them for loans, because TO
bank would take them, involving as they
would the risk of a law suit with the chance
of being held worthless,
OF course if this bill becomes a law fer
tilizers must be sold for cash, or if sold on
credit the prices must be advanced SO as to
cover the additional risk of losses. 1t is Ger
tain that the dealers would protect them
selves and the farmers would have to bear
whatever cost would be incurred in securing
protection.
Legislation, such as is proposed in Brady's
bin is bad for several reasons. 1t opens the
way for dishonest persons to avoid the pay
ment of their debts, and it is a temptation
to become dishonest. If this bill were to be
come law dishonest purchaser of fertil-
izers would try to benefit by it even if he
had no reasons for doing so, and weak men
might try to make themselves believe that
they had been cheated by the fertilizer deal
ers with the hope of getting rid of their OBJ
legations. There certainly would be an i'm
mense number of lawsuits if the dealers con
scented to sell their goods on credit.
If the Brady measure is deemed necessary
there is no reason why there should not be
legislation of the same kind with respect to
other things than fertilizers. There is just
as much reason for cxcusing farmer from
paying for -four, sugar, hay, corn and other
supplies which he may think do not come
up to the proper standard of quality as for
excusing him from paying for fer
tilizers which do not produce the
results that he had hoped for; but it
is apparent that if such legislation were ex-
tended to all articles it would pretty effectu-
ally check business.
If it is believed that there are fertilizer
dealers who sell worthless goods, let the in
spection laws be made more rigid and
searching, and let the dealing in worthless
goods be made an oifense punishable by a
severe penalty. Let the punishment for
dishonesty be inflicted upon those who de
serve it. 1t is unjust to honest farmers to
make their burdens heavier. That will be
the result If Brady's bill becomes law.